Self-contained, instantaneously responsive fire extinguisher



July 24, 1956 JACOBS I 2,755,865

SELF-CONTAINED, INSTANTANEOUSLY RESPONSIVE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Nov.15, 1954 .INVENTOR. ALAN rl lcoss,

BY i .Z flrroelvsy.

SELF-CONTAINED, INSTANTANEOUSLY RESPONSIVE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AlanJacobs, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to Wilbur A. Nelson,Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 15, 1954, Serial No. 468,751

8 Claims. (Cl. 169-31) The present invention relates to a compact,self-contained fire extinguishing apparatus capable of producing afinely divided mist or fog of any desired noninflammable liquid, theapparatus being free from pumps and similar devices and effectivelyutilizing a compressed noninfiammable gas both as a source of pressureand as an ingredient of the fire fighting fog generated. By reason ofthe many modifications and changes in substances employed in the fireextinguishing unit, the device may be employed in fighting class A(wood, paper, rubber etc.); class B (chemical and solvent); and class Cfires (involving electrical systems). The unit may be portable, mountedupon a vehicle, or permanently installed.

Although liquefied or compressed gases, such as carbon dioxide, had beenused heretofore both in fire fighting and as a source of readilyavailable pressure, no completely self-contained instantaneouslyresponsive unit capable of generating a water fog is known to me. Thepresent invention not only utilizes liquefied or compressednoninflammable gases as a component of the fog, but also employs suchgas as a pressure producing medium whereby a suitable liquid is suppliedto a fog nozzle and there disseminated into an effective fire fightingfog. The present invention contemplates the use of two or morecontainers in alignment, both of said containers being simultaneouslypunctured and rendered operative for the purpose of supplying suitablematerials to a fog nozzle, by the actuation of a single selectivelyoperable means. In obtaining such simultaneous activation of separatecontainers of liquefied gas and a noninflammable liquid, gravity may beemployed thereby preventing the necessity of using complicatedmachinery.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to disclose andprovide a compact, self-contained and instantaneously responsive fireextinguishing unit adapted to produce a fire fighting fog from anydesired noninfiammable liquid and noninfiammable gas.

A further object of the invention is to disclose andprovide a portable,self-contained fire fighting device which is free from pumps and othercomplicated machinery and preferably utilizes the weight of one of thecontainers in actuating and energizing the unit.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description of anexemplary form of the device. In order to facilitate understanding,reference will be had to the appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of one form of unit.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating atypical headconstruction and selectively operable means for energizing the unit.

Fig 3 is a fragmentary sectional view'illustrating a modified form ofconstruction.

The form of device selected for illustrating the-present invention is aportable one and comprises a suitable dolly or two-wheeled truck havingframe members 1, an upper handle portion 2, and a lower foot 3, and isprovided with 2,755,865 Patented July 24, 1956 wheels 4. Preferably thefoot is so made as to permit the entire device to assume a verticalposition as illustrated in Fig. 1, it being understood that when thedevice is moved from one place to another, the weight rests directlyupon the wheels 4 and the frame 1 assumes an angle to both the verticaland horizontal.

The primary elements of the'device-comprise a pressureresistant storagecontainer iii for a noninflammable liquid such as water, carbontetrachloride or the like provided with a head structure 11, thisstorage container being preferably firmly seated upon the foot 3 of thedolly or truck in a relatively immovable position and a container 12 forcompressed noninflammable gas of which liquid carbon dioxide is anexample. The container 12 is preferably mounted in alignment with theliquid container 10. The gas container 12 is also provided with a headgenerally indicated at 13.

The liquid container it) also includes a capsule of compressed gasindicated at 15, the closure of head 1-1 including a movable plunger 16adapted to pierce the capsule and subject the liquid within thecontainer 10 to superatmospheric pressure. The container 10 is alsoprovided with a liquid outlet port '17 through which the liquid may bedischarged.

The head 13 of the gas container 12 is also provided with ap'l-unger .19adapted-to pierce the sealof the gas container 12 so as to dischargesuch gas through the gas outlet port 18.

Liquid and gas outlet ports 17 and 18 are connected by flexible conduits21 and 22 to a fog nozzle generally indicated at 23, it being understoodthat the length of the conduits 21 and 22 is suitable to permit readymanipulation of the fog nozzle 23 at some distance from the unit itself.The fog nozzle 23 is preferably provided with a pistol grip 24 so as topermit ready manipulation and control of the fog nozzle in order todirect the fog ejected from the outlets upon the confiagration. it maybe noted that at this time the fog nozzle 23 comprises an externalpassageway indicated at 26 for the compressed gas, this externalpassageway terminating at an annular, narrow port 27 whereas the liquidfrom container 19 is fed to a central chamber 28 and is discharged in anoutwardly inclined fine conical stream through outlet 2%, the liquidbeing broken oif, atomized and fogged by impingement of thestream of gasthrough outlet 27. By making outlet 27 the smallest aperture in the-gasstream, freezing of the nozzle is prevented.

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the liquid storagecontainer iii is provided with a head closure '11 having a downwardlydirected internally threaded opening into which the .end of the pressuregas capsule 15 is threaded. It will be understood that the head 11 maybe removably attached to the container iii as by means of the threads 31so as to facilitate refilling and recharging. It iszalso to beunderstood that the end or neck or the pressure gas capsule 15 isprovided with a breakable or perforatable metallic seal.

Slidably mounted within the head 11 is the shaft 32 of the plunger 16.This shaft 32 is preferably provided-with an enlargement 33 adapted toseat upon the inclined surfaces 34 of-a recess within theihead 11, saidrecess com- .municatingxwith the interiorofthe container 10 by meansof.a passageway 35. Theend of shaft 32, adjacent the seal of capsule 15,is preferably pointed, tubular and provided with a side port% so that inthe event the plunger 16 and shaft 32 is forcibly moved axially, thepointed end of the shaft will pierce the seal and permit the pressuregas contained in the capsuleto be discharged through passageway 35intoithe upper portion of the liquid stortage container 10. The liquidoutlet port 17 is preferably provided with a downwardly extending siphontube '17 provided with an p enend-adjacent the bottomofcontainer 10 sothat the 3 liquid in the container is forcibly ejected therefrom throughtube 17 and port 17 into the flexible conduit 21.

The head closure 13 of the gas container 12 may be provided with a bore41 and a counter bore 42 internally threaded so as to receive anattachment gland 43, said attachment gland being connectable with theneck of gas container 12. The neck of this gas container is alsoprovided with a perforatable seal.

The bore 41 may be provided with a seat 44 upon which a boss 45 carriedby shaft 46 of plunger 19 may rest. The end of shaft 46 opposite theplunger 19 is also preferably tubular, pointed and provided with a sideport 47 so that when the seal of gas container 12 is perforated orpierced the gas will be discharged into bore 41 and be dischargedtherefrom by conduit 18 leading to the gas outlet port 18.

As previously indicated, the two containers 1i] and 12 are held in axialalignment upon the cart frame or dolly with their respective plungers 16and 19 in opposed, but spaced relation. The lower and generally largercontainer for liquid is firmly attached to the frame; the upper gascontainer 12 is preferably slidably mounted within a sleeve 50 carriedby the frame 1 and such sleeve may be provided with a cap 50', a biasingspring 52 bearing against the gas container 12 and said cap and urgingsaid gas container 12 toward the liquid container 10.

Selectively operable means are provided for normally maintaining the twocontainers and their plungers in spaced relation when in one position ofsuch means and for permitting relative motion between such containers 10and 12 so as to cause the two plungers 16 and 19 to come into forcibleengagement and simultaneously perforate the seals of the capsule and gascontainer 12 so as to activate and energize the unit. Such means maycomprise a latching lever 55 pivotally connected to the closure head 11as at 56, such latching lever being provided with one lip 57 capable ofextending under and supporting the plunger 16 and a second lip 58capable of engaging and supporting the gas container 12 as, for example,by engaging the end of closure head 13. When in the position illustratedin Fig. 1, it will be evident that the device is inoperative butinstantaneously available. By simply moving the latching lever 55outwardly about its pivotal connection 56, the upper gas container 12will fall by gravity, spring 52 facilitating such movement in the eventsuch spring is used, and the two plungers 16 and 19 will forciblycontact, the weight of the filled gas container 12 being effectivelyutilized in driving both piercing shafts through the respective seals ofthe gas capsule 15 and the gas container 12. Liquid under pressure aswell as gas will, therefore, be simultaneously discharged through outletports 17 and 18 and supplied by flexible conduits 21 and 22 to the fognozzle 23.

It is to be understood that although the two containers 10 and 12 arepreferably placed in a vertical position when ready for use, they mayalso be placed in horizontal or any other position. By increasing thestrength of spring 52 (or by employing hydraulic or other means forimparting movement to container 12), the device may be placed in ahorizontal position and caused to operate by selective movement of thelatch or releasing means 55.

It is also to be understood that the two storage containers may befirmly mounted in axially aligned relation upon a frame, truck or dolly,with their respective plungers in opposing, spaced relation, and asingle means (movable manually, hydraulically or pneumatically), as forexample a cam or wedge, may be caused to simultaneously move theplungers into seal-piercing position.

Moreover, it is to be understood that the present invention is notlimited to the specific types of closure heads illustrated herein sincevarious other arrangements of plungers adapted to perform the functionsherein disclosed may be used.

A safety latch or key 60, pivotally connected to frame 1, may normallyhold releasing means 55 inoperative until such time as a portable unitis brought to the vicinity of a fire to be extinguished. Liquidcontainer 10 may be precharged so as to be at super-atmospheric pressureprior to use and in such event plunger 16 can open and make such liquidavailable by puncturing a seal in line 17 In such case the liquidcontainer may be provided with a head of the type indicated at 13 inFigs. 1 and 2 and more clearly shown in Fig. 3 wherein plunger 16 iscarried by slidable stem 32 and the pointed hollow end of such stem mayperforate seal 61 to thereby open the port and place pipe 17 leading tothe bottom of container 10' in communication with line 17 connected tothe nozzle.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appendedclaims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A compact, self-contained and instantaneously responsive fireextinguisher adapted to produce fire fighting fog comprising: apressure-resistant storage container for a noninflarnmable liquid, saidstorage container being provided with an outlet port for liquid and ahead closure carrying a pressure capsule and having a plunger movableinto capsule-piercing position; a container for compressednoninflammable gas, said gas container being provided with a headclosure including a seal for said gas, a separate gas outlet port and aplunger selectively movable to pierce said seal and establishcommunication between said gas and gas outlet port; means for holdingsaid liquid storage container and gas container in aligned relation withrespective plungers in opposition, and with one of said containersaxially movable toward the other; selectively operable means holdingsaid containers in spaced relation when in one position and in anotherposition permitting said containers to move toward each other toforcibly contact their respective plungers to simultaneously supplyliquid and gas to their respective outlet ports; a fog nozzle andflexible conduit means connecting said liquid and gas ports with saidfog nozzle.

2. A compact, self-contained and instantaneously responsive fireextinguisher adapted to produce fire fighting fog comprising: apressure-resistant storage container for a noninflammable liquid, saidstorage container being provided with an outlet port for liquid and ahead closure carrying a pressure capsule and having a plunger movableinto capsule-piercing position; a container for compressednoninfiammable gas, said gas container being provided with a headclosure including a seal for said gas, a separate gas outlet port and aplunger selectively movable to pierce said seal and establishcommunication between said gas and gas outlet port; frame means holdingsaid liquid and gas containers in aligned relation with their respectiveplungers in opposition, said frame means being adapted to permitmovement of one of said containers toward the other; and selectivelyoperable means holding said containers in spaced relation when in oneposition and in another position permitting said containers to forciblycontact their respective plungers to simultaneously supply liquid andgas to their respective outlet ports.

3. A fire extinguisher of the character stated in claim 2, wherein theframe means includes spring biasing means urging said containers intoforcible contact.

4. A fire extinguisher of the character stated in claim 2, wherein saidliquid and gas containers are vertically disposed.

5. A fire extinguisher of the character stated in-claim 2, wherein theframe means are wheeled and include a sleeve guidingly positioning oneof said containers with respect to the other.

6. A compact, self-contained and instantaneously responsive fireextinguisher adapted to produce fire fighting fog comprising: apressure-resistant storage container for a noninfiammable liquid, saidstorage container being provided with an outlet port for liquid and ahead closure carrying a pressure capsule and having a plunger movableinto capsule-piercing position; a container for compressednoninfiammable gas, said gas container being provided with a headclosure including a seal for said gas, a gas outlet port and a plungerselectively movable to pierce said seal and establish communicationbetween said gas and gas outlet port; frame means holding said liquidand gas containers in aligned relation with their respective plungers inopposition, and a single means selectively movable to simultaneouslymove both said plungers into seal-piercing position, whereby liquid andgas from their respective containers are simultaneously supplied to saidliquid and gas outlet ports for fire-fighting purposes.

7. A compact, self-contained and instantaneously responsive fireextinguisher adapted to produce fire fighting fog comprising: apressure-resistant storage container for noninfiammable liquid undersuperatmospheric pressure, said storage container being provided with ahead closure having an outlet port for liquid and a plunger movable intooutlet port opening position; a container for compressed noninflammablegas, said gas container being provided with a head closure including aseal for said gas, a gas outlet port and a plunger selectively movableto pierce said seal and establish communication between said gas and gasoutlet port; frame means holding said liquid and gas containers inaligned relation with their respective plungers in opposition, and asingle means selectively movable to simultaneously move both saidplungers into seal-piercing and liquid outlet port opening positions,whereby liquid and gas from their respective containers aresimultaneously supplied to said liquid and gas outlet ports forfire-fighting purposes.

8. A portable, self-contained fire extinguisher adapted to produce afire fighting fog consisting of water and carbon dioxide, comprising: apressure-resistant storage container for water and a separate containerfor compressed carbon dioxide; means for holding said contain ers invertically aligned relation with one of said containers axially movabletoward the other; selectively operable means holding said containers inspaced relation when in one position and in another position permittingone of said containers to move toward the other container and under theforce of gravity; a normally closed outlet port from said watercontainer and a separate normally closed outlet port from said separatecarbon dioxide container; a fog nozzle and flexible conduit meansconnecting said separate outlet port with said fog nozzle; and means,actuated by the movement of one of said containers toward the otherunder the force of gravity upon movement of said selectively operablemeans, to open said separate outlet ports and concurrently supply waterand carbon dioxide to said fog nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,921,452 Bronander Aug. 8, 1933 2,480,033 Kramer Aug. 23, 19492,585,039 Rooke Feb. 12, 1952 2,674,324 Mascarini Apr. 6, 1954

1. A COMPACT, SELF-CONTAINED AND INSTANTANEOUSLY RESPONSIVE FIREEXTINGUISHER ADAPTED TO PRODUCE FIRE FIGHTING FOG COMPRISING: APRESSURE-RESISTANT STORGAE CONTAINER FOR A NONINFLAMMABLE LIQUID, SAIDSTORAGE CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET PORT FOR LIQUID AND AHEAD CLOSURE CARRYING A PRESSURE CAPSULE AND HAVING A PLUNGER MOVABLEINTO CAPSULE-PIERCING POSITION; A CONTAINER FOR COMPRESSEDNONINFLAMMABLE GAS, SAID GAS CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH A HEADCLOSURE INCLUDING A SEAL FOR SAID GAS, A SEPARATE GAS OUTLET PORT AND APLUNGER SELECTIVELY MOVABLE TO PIERCE SAID SEAL AND ESTABLISHCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GAS AND GAS OUTLET PORT; MEANS FOR HOLDINGSAID LIQUID STORAGE CONTAINER AND GAS CONTAINER IN ALIGNED RELATION WITHRESPECTIVE PLUNGERS IN OPPOSITION, AND WITH ONE OF SAID